Assiniboia鈥檚 Branch 17 of the Royal Canadian Legion held a COVID-influenced service outside at the cenotaph in front of the Town Hall at 131 Third Avenue West, beginning at 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 11.
Since late August, the Dominion Legion Command recommended their Legion branches to limit the numbers of people assembled on Remembrance Day 2020 and to follow provincial and federal guidelines.
The Royal Canadian Legion were encouraging people across the country to stay at home and pay private respects when they remembered the sacrifices of the veterans this year.聽聽
This year, most people remain inside their cars in the streets neighbouring the cenotaph during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Assiniboia Town Hall (Asaskan Complex). A handful of observers stood outside at the cenotaph on the chilly November morning, including Branch 17 Legion representatives, Wood River MLA David Marit, Mayor-elect Sharon Schauenberg and a group of local citizens.
The 15-minute service held this November is normally much longer with music, speeches, presentations and a wreath-laying ceremony whenever the event was set-up at its usual venue in St. George鈥檚 RC Parish Centre on 325 Sixth Street East. 聽
Also, in 2020, the wreaths were left at the cenotaph before the ceremony, or wreaths were arranged at the cenotaph after the ceremony was completed to retain social distancing.
Irvin Tubbs led the Remembrance Day Service on Nov. 11 2020, which convened outdoors in -8 C weather with a -17 C windchill affected by 28-kilometre winds from the north.
Legion members, Rita Walters and Kris Olson, laid a wreath at the cenotaph during the ceremony. Those gathered at the cenotaph, or in their cars parked in the streets encircling the memorial site, joined in for a moment a silence then listened to the Last Post, as the music aired on a sound system.
Those participating in the Remembrance Day service sang O鈥� Canada then finished the morning with a rendition of God Save the Queen.
Remembrance Day in Assiniboia has always been an important day regardless of the pandemic, especially with records of war veterans throughout the town鈥檚 history. Assiniboia鈥檚 branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, an organization with distinguished roots in South Central Saskatchewan, had played a role in this town since the Roaring Twenties.
Earlier, Darla Prefontaine had coordinated a window display in the Carpet One shop windows. She also asked for people to give her photos or names of veterans to be included in the 2020 Remembrance Day tribute, along with a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion. Official Legion receipts were promised for donations over $20.聽聽
